T. Rex (August 22, 1971) – Trentham Gardens Concert Review - Evening Sentinel (August 23, 1971)
This enthusiastic Evening Sentinel review captures T. Rex at the height of their breakthrough year. Reporting on a packed appearance at Trentham Gardens, the newspaper describes 2,500 fans rising to their feet as Marc Bolan and Mickey Finn delivered a performance featuring recent hits, previews from the forthcoming Electric Warrior album and a demonstration of why T. Rex had become one of Britain's biggest attractions.
Publication: Evening Sentinel
Date: August 23, 1971
Concert Date: August 22, 1971
Country: United Kingdom
Published under the headline “2,500 fans go wild as group 'explode' at Trentham”, the article reports an extraordinary audience response to T. Rex's appearance at Trentham Gardens.
According to the report, around 2,500 fans leapt to their feet and erupted into applause and dancing during the performance. The reviewer writes that all it took to spark the reaction was a rendition of “Ride A White Swan” and six words from Marc Bolan:
“Come on, get on your feet.”
From that point, T. Rex are described as exploding into a set that demonstrated exactly why they had risen to the top of both the British and international charts.
The review highlights performances of major hits including “Hot Love” and “Get It On”, together with the group's own powerful version of “Summertime Blues.”
The article notes that Bolan and Mickey Finn were backed by Steve Currie and Bill Legend, providing what the reviewer calls an appetising foretaste of material from the forthcoming album Electric Warrior, which was due for release within two weeks.
During the 80-minute performance, Bolan is praised for displaying impressive command of both acoustic and electric guitars. One section of the show saw him performing solo on acoustic guitar before launching into more energetic material that brought cheers and applause from the audience.
Before the concert, the newspaper also spoke with Bolan backstage. Responding to criticism that T. Rex had abandoned their earlier underground identity and become commercial, Bolan rejected the suggestion entirely.
He stated:
“We grew musically, but we never changed. We got played more and people took to our sound.”
The review finishes by noting that the concert was another major success for Trentham Gardens, which had already hosted recognised acts including Led Zeppelin and Yes during the year.
CONTEXT AND NOTES
Published the day after the event, the article documents T. Rex just before the release of Electric Warrior, one of the most important albums of Marc Bolan's career.
The review is especially valuable because it captures a live preview of the forthcoming record and preserves Bolan's contemporary response to accusations that T. Rex had become more commercial following their move towards a harder electric sound.
The article also illustrates the growing phenomenon that would soon become known as Bolanmania, with audience reactions already reaching remarkable levels during live appearances.
FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
Event: T. Rex live at Trentham Gardens
Concert Date: August 22, 1971
Publication Date: August 23, 1971
Era: Electric Warrior era
Tone: Enthusiastic concert review
Attendance: Approximately 2,500 fans
WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS
• Review of T. Rex's Trentham Gardens concert
• Audience of approximately 2,500 fans
• Performances of “Ride A White Swan,” “Hot Love” and “Get It On”
• Preview of material from Electric Warrior
• Marc Bolan performing on both acoustic and electric guitar
• Bolan rejecting claims that T. Rex had become commercial
• Contemporary evidence of the rapidly growing popularity of T. Rex
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